What does no mean to you?

I am more than impressed with the persistence of a child. When they desire something they will pursue it with ultimate determination. If I had a penny for each and every time I repeated “No means NO!” I’d be sunbathing on my yacht off the coast of my own personal island. NO is not in their understanding. Well, they understand it but choose to alter its meaning so that it is more acceptable to their little ears. Two of my kids take the No word as the ultimate challenge. They debate, they twist and put a spin on the verbage like a cheap fair ride. Having tried those same tactics in my youth, I stand firm waiting for their verbal ride to come crashing down. Thankfully verbal rides are vomit and injury free! I must admit that there is something about their determined spirit that stirs me. They make no apologies for their persistence. They have their sights set on a target and are going for the kill. As their mother it is my job to parent them and keep them safe as I watch for their best interest. However, there are times when I may have overlooked something or said NO before taking everything into consideration. During these few, sparse times their points actually prove to be valid…hmmm, and may be the very thing fueling their future debates! As adults (minus those obnoxious sales people) we tend to temper ourselves and in doing so often lose our persistence in the face of adversity. So if you find yourself withdrawing during difficult situations then put your inner child on, buckle up for safety and turn those No’s into GO’s!!! Just don’t vomit in the process.